Mechanical Division

Standard Hand Tools

TopicsDesignT-SquareDrafting Triangle

FabricationHacksawCordless DrillFileSandpaper & Steel Wool

Assembly

Wrench & Adjustable WrenchAllen KeyScrewdriverRatchet

Caliper

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Design

T-SquareUsed in conjunction with drafting board and triangleAllows drawing of horizontal linesKeep your T-Square clean and check to make sure it is straight

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Examples of t-squares used in the art department

Drafting TriangleUsed by sliding on top of T-SquareAllows drawing of vertical linesKeep your triangle clean

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Keep your triangle clean

CaliperUsed for precision measuring of thickness and diameterMeasures up to ten-thousandths (0.001) of an inchUseful for measuring shaft and hole diameters

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A set of calipers similar to ours

Fabrication

HacksawUseful for cutting down long bolts & PVCLong smooth cuts versus short rapid spasms

Be careful not to damage the bladeWatch table edge and cornerAngle downward for ease of cutting

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A high tension hacksaw similar to ours

Cordless DrillUseful for drilling holes or tightening/loosening screws

Don’t even try to drill steel

Do not completely discharge the battery; it shortens its average life span

Use only when accuracy is not an issue

Avoid having to drill aluminum

Avoid over-tightening screwsTry not to wear out screw heads

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A standard cordless drillClick to continue

FileEffective at “making stuff fit together” by grinding down edges

Stay away from steel

File perpendicular to the teeth and away from yourself in smooth strokes

Absolutely not for precision parts

Use only on wood, Plastic, and aluminum

Can be used as an alternative to the de-burring tool for de-burring

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Click to continueA typical file

Sandpaper & Steel Wool A step down from the file in terms of grinding power

Generally use low (60-100) grit to start out wood and plastic

Use appropriate grit for material and amount to sand down

Absolutely not for precision parts

Higher grit = finer sand

Use medium (120-180) grit for working wood, plastic, and grinding aluminumHigh (220+) grit for finishing wood, plastic, and light work on aluminum

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Continued on Next slide

Steel wool is excellent for “persuading” shafts and other slightly-too-big parts to fit

Beware of the steel dust that falls off when polishing; they will make electrical unhappy!

Various grades of sandpaper Rolls of steel wool

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Assembly

Wrenches and A. Wrenches Generally used in pairs to tighten bolts and nuts

Avoid using the adjustable wrench when possible; slippage causes wearing on the bolt heads and nuts

Use appropriate measuring system (metric or English/standard/whatever) to avoid wearing down nuts and bolt heads

Alternative to ratchet when space is an issue

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Click to continueA Wrench An Adjustable Wrench

Allen Keys Used to tighten and loosen socket-head bolts and screws

The ball-shaped end allows easy insertion to start off tightening

Comes in two flavors; Metric and English/Standard/Whatever

The flat end has greater potential for tightening torque due to long handleReplace Allen keys in proper sets

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Your everyday set of allen keys

Screwdriver Used to tighten and loosen Slot and Phillips head screws

Phillips is used for Phillips head screws

Slot, or commonly known as flat, is used for slot head screws

Wider-diameter Phillips screwdrivers generally have flatter tipsUse proper judgment when selecting a screwdriver to avoid unnecessary head wearing

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A screwdriver Click to continue

RatchetUsed to tighten and loosen Hex head bolts

Fast and easy way to loosen and tighten bolts

Generally used in conjunction with a wrench on the nut/bolt head

Socket heads come in metric and English/standard/whateverUse proper judgment when selecting a socket head to avoid wearingTo change socket heads, press and hold the release button on the back of the ratchet head

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Continued on Next slide

Then remove the socket, fit the new socket head on completely, and release the release button

Ensure the ratchet stop is set in the proper directionTo change rotational direction, flip the switch on the back of the ratchet head to the other side of the headRemember to replace socket heads in their proper locations

Some ratchetClick to continue

Ratchet MVRT

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